Ballot-seal punch



S. C. YOUNG.

BALLOT SEAL PUNCH. v

APPLICATIONIFILED OCT. 10. 1916. RENEWED NOV. 11,1917. 1,312,070.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I S. C. YOUNG.

BALLOT SEAL PUNCH. I

APPUCATION FILED OCT. 10., I916. RENEWED NOV. 1!,i917- 1,312,070. PatentedA11g.-5, l9l9.

I A" 2 SHEETSSHEET 2| wullhfllulj u i I f Zlwuantoz THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

SANFORD C. YOUNG, 0F HARTFORD, WEST VIRGINIA.

BALLOT-SEAL PUNCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed October 10, 1916, Seria1 No. 124,813. RenewedNovember 1'7, 1917. Serial No. 202,642.

To a l whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SANFORD C. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, county of Mason, State of WVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Seal Punches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it app'ertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to a device intended to prevent fraudulent voting. Numerous devices and apparatus for this purpose have been devised and some are in use. The Ohjection to many of these is, on the part of communities not particularly prosperous, the expense. Another objection is their slowness of operation and also the ease with which they may be fraudulently 1i1anipulated by unscrupulous officials and others.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple device which will enable every voter to mark his ballot with an ineradicable mark, preferably punching a hole through said ballot opposite the name of any particular candidate whom he wishes to vote for; and which device, while open to use during the legal hours for voting, automatically locks itself against 'use after the voting period has passed, and which cannot be made to operate again for a period of time sufficiently long to prevent the surreptitious marking of additional and fraudulent ballots before the time for counting the ballots has passed.

In general, my invention consists of a device whereby a hole of suitable dimensions is punched in the ballot, and this invention is particularly intended for use in connec tion with the Australian or blanket ballot; and the circumference of the hole or any chosen part near the hole may be embossed or impressed with marks indicating the lo cation of or identity of the particular booth and precinct wherein the vote is cast.

Furthermore, I provide in said device and in connection therewith a time train, which train locks the punch and stamp or die from operation except within the legal hours, say, seven to six, and which time train is also secured against molestation until the lapse of a considerable time after the poll closing time. I

My invention consists also of various de' tails which will appear from the description which follows below.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of my device with thefpunch and seal'or stamp elevated.

Fig. 2 is a view of the same showing the seal and punch depressed in position to actually operate upon a ballot.

Fig. 3 is a top view.

Fig. {l is a view on a somewhat larger scale of parts of the time train and connected mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the staff masking device.

Fig.7 is a sketch showing a somewhat modified form; and

Fig. 8 is a detail showing the appearance of a part of the ballot after the punching and depression has been effected.

In my .preferred construction which I show in the drawings I provide a base 1, and upon this I mount a support 2 by means of suitable screws as 3. To this support, at its forward end, I connect by means of a hinged joint, a frame 4-, and in the forward end of said frame I mount the punching device 5 and the seal or impression device 6. I provide a rod 7 upon the lower end of which is carried the punch 5, and this rod is, together with the punch, held up by means fof spring 8, and there is provided also a handle 9. The impression or sealing device is secured to the outer part of the rod, upon the end of which the punch is mounted. This is provided with a collar 10 and set screw 11, there being a little opening 12 in the front part of the frame through which a screw driver may be inserted for setting the seal at the proper location. My purpose is to provide a particular seal for each voting precinct or locality, so that each ballot may be identified as punched.

Corresponding with the seal or impression part, I provide a matrix, which may be fitted into the recess 13, and may be the part of the seal corresponding to the upper part, that is, the negative of said upper part, or it may be a ring of some material soft enough for the upper part to make its own matrix.

I provide a clamp 14 upon the lower part of the support 2, and the forward end of this clamp is provided with an opening large enough for the person who is using the instrument to locate the exact place with reference to the name opposite which he wishes to punch the ballot. This opening is indicated at 15. On the axis or shaft upon which the frame turns I provide a cam 16, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the object of which is to press down the clamp I l and thereby secure the ballot in position during the actuation of the punch and stamp. The construction is such that the pressure of the clamp, which is of spring metal, tends to restore and hold up the pivoted frame, although, of course, an actual spring about the axis or center shaft for this purpose may be obviously provided, or other means for resetting it may be used.

On the punch shaft I provide a projection 17, here shown as consisting of several unitsor projections. I provide sliding ways on the side of my frame and projections 17 from the punch shaft which are actuated in said ways, and prevent the turning of the punch in its seat. I provide on the rear of the punch shaft a projection or series of projections 18. These extend toward the clock train, which is incased in a circular box or casing 19, shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 4.

In the clock train, or connected thereto to be driven by the clock train, I provide a disk 20. This disk is arranged in a horizontal po sition and is recessed through a certain angle as shown at 21. When this recess is opposite the projections 18, the punch and seal or stamp may be reciprocated. When the driving train has driven the disk past said proj ections, reciprocation of the punch becomes impossible. I provide several of these projections 18, as shown, in order to render fraudulent manipulation of said punch more diflicult. If the projections 18 were continuous in a solid piece, it is obvious that by pressing the punch down and stopping the clock train at or near the end of the voting period, by contact of said projection with the wall of the recess 21, the punch might be manipulated a number of times and fraudulent ballots inserted in the punch. By using several of these projections so that the distance between them is the same as, or but little more than the thickness of the disk, the possibility of this is prevented.

The gear which connects the disk with the clock train is shown at 22. On the same shaft as the gear 22 and the disk 20, I mount the disk 23, which is uniform in diameter and continuous save at one point, where the notch 24: is provided.

I provide a lever 25 pivoted at 26, and held. by a spring 26 so as to hold the projection 27 on the end of the lever outward, or away from said notch. The said projection 27 may ride upon the periphery of the disk 23 until the projection meets the notch,

when the projection may be forced into said notch by means which I shall now describe. The other or rear end of said lever 25 is provided with a projection 28 on its bentup end, as shown in Fig. 5, and this projection extends through an opening in the spring casing 29, so that the said projection rests against the outer surface of the main spring, being held there by the spring hitherto alluded to. As now, during unwinding, the main spring expands, the projection is forced outward, the lever 25 turns upon its pivot, and the projection 27 rides upon the surface of the cam until it meets the recess in said cam, when it engages said recess and locks the train. The position of the recess 24; with reference to the recess 21 is such that this locking occurs just before the recess 21 would again be brought into operative relation to the projections 18, and this stops the whole train.

I provide suitable winding and setting staffs 30, 31, the upper ends of said staffs being squared for the use of a key, and access to the staff is provided through the small trap door 32 shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

I provide means, however, whereby this access will not be effective for permitting winding or setting except just at the instant or just before the instant when the locking lever 25 comes into engagement with the disk 23. This I effect by providing on the staff or shaft 31 a pin 33. This pin is arranged to bear upon the under side of a piece 31, which is provided with openings surrounding the winding and setting staffs, and also a third opening surrounding a guiding staff 35. The depth of this piece is such that it surrounds and covers up the winding and setting shafts when it is in the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position it is held by the pin 33 alluded to above contacting with its own surface.

At one point in the revolution of the said staff 31, however, the pin is allowed to enter a recess 36, shown in Fig. 5, and the pin is so placed on the staff that this entering the recess is effected just before or just as the locking lever 25 engages with the recess 24. The part 34 is normally drawn or pressed downward to uncover the squared ends 37 of the winding and setting shafts, these springs being shown at 38 in Fig. 6, but the springs are permitted to be effective only when the pin enters the recess 36.

I provide on the cover a locking bar 39 which takes over a hasp 4:0, and which may 'be secured by a padlock so that access to the interior of the mechanism is not possible. Furthermore, the lock may be sealed if additional precaution is necessary.

It is my purpose to prevent access to the interior except when the mechanism is to be repaired, oiled or cleaned.

The clock train is arranged in the casing before referred to much like an ordinary clock train, and when unlocked the Whole works may be lifted right out in the same manner that the mechanism of an ordinary clock is lifted out of its frame. The train may, of course, be located elsewhere.

WVhile I have indicated embossing and punching means, producing an impression like that indicated in Fig. 8, with a hole through it, it is obvious that some printing device might be used and that the impression might be of some other form or character. The hole also might be punched elsewhere than in the center of the impression; it may also be of any desired shape Or size.

I may also, if I deem it desirable, provide a suitable alarm 42 to ring, say, one minute or five minutes before the closing time, so as to warn any belated voter that the time for depositing his ballot is short.

In the construction of my device I arrange the disk 20 so as to be on a shaft driven, say, for thirty-six hours; that is, three times the ordinary twelve hour revolution. The angle of the recess 21 will, therefore, be comparatively small; the object of this is that after the voting period has passed, by the engagement of the outer periphery of the disk 20 of the projections 18, the use of the stamp and punch is prevented for a period long enough to cover the time necessary for counting the Votes, so that additional lbiUllOtS cannot be inserted and punched until it is too late to add them fraudulently to those already counted. This time will be the period when the disk 20 passes around to be engaged by the projection on the lever 25. After this it will be necessary to re-wind the apparatus so that there will be another complete revolution of the disk 20 before itagain disengages.

I also provide on the top of the casing a dial 41, over which travels a pointer on the end of the staff which carries the locking disk 20, so that the hand or pointer moves with the said staff and disk. The object of this is to enable any voter or other observer to determine whether the clock is properly set, and whether or not the machine will look at the proper closing time.

The modification shown in Fig. 7 indi= cates a device of the same substantial character as hitherto discussed,but in which the frame, instead of being hinged, is fixed in position, and the ticket is thrust under the part 14 and the punch brought down in the same manner. The advantage of having the parts hinged, as shown in Fig. 1, however, is that it enables a voter to position his ballot properly before he brings the punch down; that is, he is afforded a wide range of vision which is evident from the modifi cation shown in Fig. 7. I

It will thus be apparent that I have devised an apparatus which can be constructed at comparatively low cost, and which is adapted to use by even the most ignorant and clumsy voters without injury, which is portable, which can be forwarded from any seat ofgovernment point of distribution to its various precincts in time for each election, which defines accurately the period during which voting can be effected, which looks against manipulation after such period has expired, and which also locks itself against re-winding and re-setting after the expiration of the voting period, for a time long enough to prevent any use for fraud a punching and stamping device, a pivoted frame in which said device is mounted, a recessed time limiting disk mounted in said frame, a projection cooperating with said disk on said device, and a clock train for driving said disk, whereby operation of the device is permissible only while the recess of said disk is presented to said projection.

3. In a device for punching and sealing ballots, in combination, a punching and stamping device, a frame in which said device is mounted, a clock train mounted in said frame, a disk rotated by said train, adapted to lock, during part of its turn, said device from use, and means connected with said train, for preventing access to said train for winding it for an interval of time after the rotating disk has stopped the use of the device.

4. In a device for punching and stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot punching and stamping device, a pivoted frame in which said device is mounted, a ballot clamping device, a cam on said frame for actuating said clamping device when the stamping device is actuated, an opening being provided in said clamping device through which location of position on the ballot may be determined, said opening registering substantially with the punch opening, and means for restricting the use of the punching and stamping. device to a limited interval of time.

5. In a ballot seal punch, in combination, a ballot marking device, and a clock train arranged for direct engagement therewith for preventing the use of Said device, for predetermined periods and for permitting its use during other periods.

6. In a device for marking ballots, in

combination, a ballot marking device, means forlocating and holding a ballot in position with respect to said device, and time driven means for directly engaging said device for a predetermined period to prevent the use of said device and for putting itself out of engagement with said device for another predetermined period to permit the use of said device.

7. In a device for punching and stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot punching and stamping device, a notched projection on said device, a frame in which said device is mounted, a clock trainon said frame, and a recessed disk driven by said train, and adapted to move in proximity to said projection, so that the punching and stamping device may be operated only when the recess of the disk passes the notched projection, the edge of the disk being at other times in engagement with one of the notches of said projection so as to prevent such operation.

8. In a device for punching and stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot marking device, a frame in which said device is mounted, a clock train in said frame arranged to lock said device from movement for a definite period of time, a notched locking disk in engagement with said train, and a hooked lever pivoted in said frame, so that said hook may ride upon the perimeter of said disk and drop into said notch, the other end of said lever riding upon the perimeter of the main spring, so that when the spring becomes unwound the hooked end of the lever is forced into the notch of said disk and movement of the train is prevented until the spring is rewound.

9. In a device for punching and stamping ballots, in combination, a time-controlled ticket marking device, a clock train for effecting such time control, means whereby said train locks said device from movement, after a predetermined interval, means whereby said train in running down is made to lock itself against movement after said device is locked, and means whereby rewinding of said clock train is prevented until a phase of the'clock train, predetermined in relation to said locking means, has been reached.

10. In a ballot seal punch, in combination, a time-controlled ticket marker, a clock train for effecting such control, a locking device driven by said train and adapted to engage said marker, a locking lever for said train adapted to lock said train at a period predeterminedin relation to the actuation of the marker locking device, means whereby said train may be rewound and reset, means whereby said rewinding means are rendered inaccessible for rewinding, and release means arranged in predetermined time rela tion to said locking means whereby said means forrwinding may become accessible for winding.

11. In a device for punching and sealing ballots, in combination, a time-controlled ticket punch and stamp, a clock train, a locking disk driven by said train and adapted to engage the stamp for effecting such con trol, a locking lever for said train, arranged to lock said train from movement, winding and setting staffs for said train, a cover for said staffs, adapted to expose said staffs for winding and setting, and means connected with said train adapted to effect said exposure at av period predetermined in'relation to the position of the stamp locking means.

12. In a ballot seal punch, in combination, a ballot marker, a time measuring device, and a direct connection between said device and said marker, one element of said connection being on said device, whereby use of said marker. is restricted to periods of time defined by features of said device connection.

13. In a ballot seal punch, in combination. a ballot marker, and a time measuring device in direct connection therewith for permitting the use of said marker, for a time predetermined in accordance with voting hours and for preventing said use for a time predetermined in accordance with ballot counting time.

14. In a device for sealing, punching or stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot punching, sealing or stamping device, means whereby a ballot may be located with reference to said device, and a time measuring means arranged in direct controlling relation to said punching, sealing or stamping device, for permitting use thereof and preventing use thereof at predetermined times and for predetermined periods.

15. In a ballot marking device, in combination, a reciprocable frame, a ballot marking device mounted for additional movement in connection with said frame, a time-limiting disk mounted in restraining relation to said device, and means for actuating said disk.

16. In a device for marking ballots, in combination, a ballot marking device, and in connection therewith a time-measuring means, and in connection with said timemeasuring means and marking device, means for permitting and preventing operation of the latter for periods, predetermined in accordance with occurrence and duration of voting hours, and for preventing operation during a predetermined vote counting and vote reporting period.

17. In a ballot seal punch,'in combination, a stamping device, a time limiting disk arranged in controlling relation to said device, a time train for driving said disk, and means settable as to time, for preventing illicit access to said train.

18. In a ballot seal device for stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot stamping device, a notched rod on said stamping device, a time train, a time limiting disk on said train, and means on said disk whereby it may prevent operation of said stamping device except at proper and predetermined times.

19. In a ballot seal device for stamping ballots, in combination, a ballot stamping 10 Winding or resetting same except at a pro 15 determined time.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature.

SANFORD o. YOUNG.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

